Cristie Hopkins currently serves the citizens of Harford County, MD as the Director of Media and Public Relations for the Harford County Sheriff’s Office. She joined the Agency in 2013 and was promoted to the Chief Spokesperson in 2014. As Director, she oversees all aspects of Communications, Public and Media Relations, as well as Marketing for the Agency, and hosts the Agency television show, Behind the Badge.

Ms. Hopkins holds Bachelors's degree in Communications with a minor in Marketing; beginning her communications career in 1998 at a Harford County nonprofit (with nothing but a fax machine!).

Cristie Hopkins’s Session

11:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Pacific Time — Monday, May 9, 2022

Panel: Humanizing Your Agency Through Social Content

Social media can be an incredible tool to help forge stronger relationships between first responder agencies and the public they serve. How can we begin to change the perception the public has regarding law enforcement and other public safety officers in their communities?

Discussion topics include:

How to identify humanizing stories and share successes through agency-specific campaigns
Content ideas for humanizing your agency that can be adapted across platforms
Integrating impactful community engagement into your agency’s DNA
Understanding the difference between a corporate account and a professional account and the benefits of each
Identifying the best opportunities to engage through social accounts (and when not to engage)
The art of communicating with citizens who distrust law enforcement